Man who dumped body of murder victim sentenced

The man who prosecutors say wrapped Robert Wadding's body in a dresser and dumped it in the West Hills area after a drug deal gone bad has been sentenced to one year in prison.

Zachary Taylor Dudoit, 36, pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 12 months in prison for his role in the May 3, 2003, murder of drug dealer Robert Wadding. His sentence will run concurrently with an unrelated drug sentence he is currently serving.

Two others who participated in the murder are serving their sentences.

Angela Vargas, 30, of Bremerton is serving a 10-year sentence for second-degree murder. And Ryan Estavillo, 30, of Bremerton is serving a 14-year, second-degree murder sentence for his role in the slaying.

The final player in the murder, Samuel "Sammy" Bonilla, remains at large and Bremerton police detectives believe he might be hiding in Mexico.

The FBI issued an arrest warrant for Bonilla, and FBI officials contacted Bremerton detectives Wednesday to ask for any details they might have to help narrow the search for the Mexican national.

Bremerton Detective Andy Oakley said looking for Bonilla in Mexico is like searching for a Smith in the United States.

Bonilla is the linchpin in the investigation, and detectives believe he is the one who strangled Wadding during the May 3 drug deal.

Authorities believe Wadding showed up May 3 at Vargas' Athens Way apartment to get paid for an ounce of methamphetamine he sold to her the day before. Estavillo and Bonilla were there.

After Vargas and Wadding argued, Bonilla allegedly knocked Wadding to the ground. Vargas got some duct tape and Estavillo held Wadding's hands behind his back.

Bonilla taped Wadding's hands and head, stuffed a rag in Wadding's mouth, covered his head with a pillow case and strangled him with a cord from a window shade, according to court documents.

Estavillo then called Dudoit, who gutted a dresser, stuffed and taped Wadding's body inside and dumped it off a road in the West Hills area, according to court documents.

The Sun was unable contact Wadding's mother, Mandy Wendell of Tahuya, but obtained a statement she provided Judge Jay Roof at Dudoit's sentencing.

She wrote: "Rob was a happy, cheerful kid and people were naturally attracted and drawn to him. He had a kind spirit and a love about him.

"Mr. Dudoit aided in this vicious murder. Was Zachary the man to call to clean up and take care of someone else's crime? How much dope, how much money does a man get for dumping a body? I will never understand why he was so cooperative in hiding Rob's body."

Wendell has been a vocal opponent to the plea-bargain system that all three suspects so far have participated in. Prosecutors say the plea bargains have allowed them to gather information on Bonilla they might not otherwise have gotten and have ensured that all involved serve time for their roles.

Roof sentenced Dudoit to the maximum 12 months in the standard sentencing range for rendering criminal assistance in the first degree.

"I surrender to the justice system, the plea bargains," Wendell wrote. "The time seems so insufficient that has been bargained. Yet no amount of time will bring my son back."

Reach reporter Derek Sheppard at (360) 792-9227 or at dsheppard@thesunlink.com.

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